for her, lambie. They was jist
the kind of people that you'd risk your neck slidin' down a mountain to
get out of their way."

"That is too bad," said Linda reflectively; "because Eileen is sensitive
and constant contact with crass vulgarity certainly would wear on her
nerves."

"Now you be goin' and gettin' into that dress, lambie," said Katy.

"Katherine O'Donovan," said Linda, "you're used to it; come again to
confession. Tell me truly where and how did you get that dress?"

"'Tain't no rule of polite society to be lookin' gift horses in the
mouth," said Katy proudly. "HOW I got it is me own affair, jist like ye
got any gifts ye was ever makin' me, is yours. WHERE I got it? I went
into the city on the strafe car and I went to the biggest store in the
city and I got in the elevator and I says to the naygur: 'Let me off
where real ladies buy ready-to-wear dresses.'

"And up comes a little woman, and her hair was jist as soft and curling
round her ears, and brown and pretty was her eyes, and the pink that
God made was in her cheeks, and in a voice like runnin' water she says:
'Could I do anything for you?' I told her what I wanted. And she says:
'How old is the young lady, and what's her size, and what's her color?'
Darlin', ain't that dress the answer to what I told her?"

"Yes," said Linda. "If an artist had been selecting a dress for me he
would probably have chosen that one. But, old dear, it's not suitable
for me. It's not the kind of dress that I intended to wear for years and
years yet. Do you think, if I put it on tonight, I'll ever be able to
go back to boots and breeches again, and hunt the canyons for plants to
cook for--you know what?"

Katy stood in what is commonly designated as a "brown study." Then she
looked Linda over piercingly.

"Yes, ma'am," she said conclusively. "It's my judgment that ye will. I
think ye'll maybe wrap the braids of ye around your head tonight, and I
think ye'll put on that frock, and I think ye'll show Pater Morrison how
your pa's daughter can sit at the head of his table and entertain her
friends. Then I think ye'll hang it in your closet and put on your boots
and breeches and go back to your old Multiflores and attind to your
business, the same as before."

"All right, Katy," said Linda, "if you have that much faith in me I have
that much faith in myself; but, old dear, I can't tell you how I LOVE
having a pretty dress for tonight. Katy dear, the 'Day of Jubilee' has